STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It's a winter that can make even cold weather fans wish for some southern warmth.

Staten Island woke up to temperatures in the single digits yesterday, causing cars to sputter and even the hardiest commuters to wince when they stepped outside.

And with another storm that may dump more snow, sleet or rain here tomorrow, many borough residents have started countdowns to spring.

"Snow and cold," are words that sum up December and January, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Ross Dickman. Temperatures "have been so far below normal" and storm after storm has kept adding to the snow already on the ground that "we may have a snowpack well into February the way things are going," he said.

But for anyone who remembers the 2003-2004 winter, this season is not out of the ordinary.

Those years, the average temperature in December and January was 32.6 degrees and 37 inches of snow had fallen in Central Park. This year, the average temperature for the same period is 31.5 degrees (not even close to the top 10 coldest winters) while 36.1 inches have fallen so far, according to AccuWeather.com.

"We've had some mild winters in the last five years, so people remember that better," said AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines.

The 2003-2004 winter ended with 42.6 inches of snow after just 5.5 inches fell in February and March. "That would rival what we're going through now."

The record winter snowfall in 1995-96 was 75.7 inches. Last winter saw 51.4 inches, more than double the normal of 22.4 inches. The coldest December-February season saw an average of 25.7 degrees in 1917-18.

For the next two or three weeks, Kines said temperatures will remain below normal. He suggested long-term weather patterns show warmer, above-average temperatures in the second half of February and March. But Dickman said "it's too early to tell what February and March will bring."

AccuWeather's Chief Long Range Forecaster Joe Bastardi said this could end up as the coldest winter for the U.S. as a whole since the 1980s. There's also a higher chance for late-season winter storms, that could stretch the season into April some place in the East.

As for tomorrow's storm, both Dickman and Kines said it's too early to say for sure if Staten Island will see just rain, a mix of snow and rain or mainly snow.

"We're not through the cold weather yet," Kines said. "My guess is we're not done with the snow either."